Cutting the cable! TV cable that is

[MaxPete]

We have unlimited internet and a house land line phone for $90/month CAD (around $3.12 USD at the present rate of exchange ) and we also use a cheapo little antenna stuck to the wall with tape for local TV. I think it cost $10-12.

Frankly, I find that I watch YouTube about 90% of the time. I get my CBC news on the car radio while commuting and that’s enough for me. YouTube has become so much better than the rubbish that is on network television these days. The only thing that gets watched on network TV in the house these days is “The Bachelor” (a ladies show that lowers your IQ minute-by-minute - even you aren’t paying attention to it).

In fact, when it is on, I have to leave the room or pretty soon, I’ll forget how to read and write.

 

[59Tebo]

I sprung for a kinda deluxe model when I did mine, cuz we live in the sticks, and I wanted to see if I could get channels from more than one "big" city around here. It looks like this:

and I used a 10' stick of EMT for the mast, bolted to the side of our pergola. It works the nuts, and the "brain box" had one HDMI-output (for the main TV - a smart TV) and a secondary coax output that I used to back-feed the splitter that goes to the rest of the TVs in the house. Those "stupid" TVs can be made smart with a ChromeCast, or similar device.

 

[MrBultaco]

Just cut the cord not more than 5 min. ago.... Took 25 min. listening to what 'they' would do for me if I stayed. They would lower my bill by $25/mo. to $86 + taxes. I said if they did that each of last 5 years I called for a discount, I might have stayed. I'm liking Youtubetv now that I have used it for 3 days. I do wish it had History and Pac12 and ATTrockymountain though. I'm looking for alternatives to get these channels.

 

[Jim]

For those of you interested in trying it, there's an app called Antenna Point. Installed it on my phone and it showed 12 transmitters at 10-15 miles due south of me... whether they were VHF or UHF and what stations they broadcast. After I found they were that close, figured a piece of safety wire stuck in the antenna plug would work.

 

[halfmile]

Still on the hunt for a new TV. I`m really starting to like the old Sony Bravia 3D I have now but its a meager 55". By today`s standards that`s a kitchen counter top size. I did however find a unusual (ugly) TV stand. Sold through Wall Mart of all places for a scanty $ 7,802.10. Looks like Lego`s??

 

[ThatXS650Guy]

I need to do this. I called Comcast a couple of months ago (the only way to downgrade is to call them) and got my bill down from $243/mon to $191. This is a bundled service for phone, internet and TV. I had to give up my favorite channel (TCM). I realize now there is nothing else worth watching on TV and, to add insult to injury, my new bill is for $201 for the same crappy channels I don't want to watch. I'm done. Idiot box indeed.

 

[halfmile]

I have AT&T uverse 300. I had a 2 year promotion that ended Jan 18 this year. The promotion price was $65.00 a month when you have the AT&T internet ($40.00 per month). I had added a movie package for $5.00 per month and after all the taxes my monthly bill came to $126.04. After the promotion was up and if I continued with the uverse package the uverse alone was $168.00 per month. Not Happening. Ever! I called (about 2 1/2 hrs) to cancel and send back the equipment and got the same old response "let me see what I can do for you" Boy I`ve heard that one before. I wound up getting the same package for 1 year for $61.00 per month. Just paid my latest bill last week. $123.01. No contract, no bundle and no paperless billing. What next??

 

[59Tebo]

Uhhhhh........ halfmile........ that's not a TV stand. That's why it's so ugly. It's a muti-plexer. An ethernet switching device you would find in, say, a corporate office building, to link everybody's computers to a giant server, or main-frame computer. I'm sure you can spend a lot less for a much nicer TV stand that's actually a TV stand...

 

[halfmile]

OK I see. For that price maybe the corporate office building comes with it? Makes sense now.

 

[MrBultaco]

I've been looking for a 75" tv for a few months now. Everyday I look, the price has dropped. The 'people' say that Feb. is the month for the best deals as the 'new' models will be out soon and the box stores need to clear their shelves. I will have to mount it on the wall, cuz my current TV stand if only 52" wide and the TV's feet are around 60". Samsung 75" for $1300 looks good. Now what to do with my 55". Trade for m/c parts???

 

[halfmile]

Same here. I`ve been looking at the Samsung 75" QLED for $1499.00. Has a better processor and refresh rate. 5 year warranty also. BUT!, for another $400.00 I can get a 82" and for another $500.00 I can get a 86" and for another $500.00 I can get a better 86" and for another $500.00 I can get a better sound package and for another $500.00 I can get etc, etc, etc, etc. I figure the $1500.00 TV will eventually cost about $2300.00 after the stand, sound bar, taxes and who knows what else.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

I ditched DirecTV back in 2003.
Latest channel scan from my yagi tower got 78 channels.

The savings was plenty enuff to buy this.


Yes, both bike AND barn.

Now *there's* some incentive...

 

[ThatXS650Guy]

Turned in my cable boxes today. Went from $243 in 2019 with a decent selection but no premium channels to $201 with crap channels and what seemed like 50% commercials to $98 today for just internet. I'm Ok with it.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Justa "heads up" for the OTA lovers out there.

ATSC 3.0 (aka NextGen TV) is rolling out.
Something to watch for if buying a new TV.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/atsc-3-0-ota-broadcast-standard-4k-dolby-atmos/

 

[jetmechmarty]

My internet is by a satellite dish. It’s worse than awful. We also have a hot spot. So, we can stream for about three weeks of the month. After that, we read a book.

 

[thuban]

I'm in the sticks. I have a landline/phone my Internet comes in on. I got an Amazon fire stick and it's off to the races. All kinds of content, Wife's comp, my comp and what's not to like? I don't need any lying heads and best part, no damn commercials!

 

[jetmechmarty]

Just cut the cord not more than 5 min. ago.... Took 25 min. listening to what 'they' would do for me if I stayed. They would lower my bill by $25/mo. to $86 + taxes. I said if they did that each of last 5 years I called for a discount, I might have stayed. I'm liking Youtubetv now that I have used it for 3 days. I do wish it had History and Pac12 and ATTrockymountain though. I'm looking for alternatives to get these channels.

https://www.magellantv.com/

 

[Mikey]

https://www.magellantv.com/

I'm liking Youtubetv
YouTube tv can become addicting just about anything you can find on the internet you can get on YouTube
I watch old music videos when nothing else seems interesting

 

[thuban]

" YouTube tv can become addicting just about anything you can find on the internet you can get on YouTube"
I agree! I love me some Youtube "Absolute History".

 

[Grimly]

drive a 2 foot steel stake into the ground to clamp it to

I wouldn't be as short as 2ft - more like four minimum and if I were doing it properly it would be eight ft. In terms of useful grounding, 2ft is nothing worth having. If 8ft is out the question, have a pair of 4ft rods.
Easy way to drill a hole in compacted soil or clay is get a length of 1/2" steel pipe and connect it to a hose - let the water do the boring. You can get a bit more sophisticated with it and feed the water in the top at a T and seal the top with a cap to allow some hammering.